Our New Normal

We’ve all heard the phrase “the new normal” more times than we care to remember as we are now in Phase 5 of Restore Illinois. What does that “new normal” look like at Plymouth Place™? Well, it likes like the old normal with a hearty dose of outstanding.

We have safely and cautiously opened up, following the guidelines of the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Following our on-site vaccination events in January and February, our Sarah Tudor Dining room reopened for resident dining in late February. Mid-March, guests aged 18 and older were welcomed back into residences in Independent and Assisted Living. Residents, families, and staff alike were overjoyed as almost exactly a year after we had to close our doors to visitors, we were able to reopen them. We also hosted a phenomenal St. Patrick’s Day party – a wonderful event with music, food, and laughter. We certainly didn’t forget how to have a good time!

In April, guests aged 18 and older were once again able to stay overnight both in our guest suites and resident apartments, and we were able to welcome guests back into residences in Memory Care and the Health Care Center. In May, not only were family and friends visiting in all areas of our building, but we also created a partnership to provide a weekly vaccination clinic onsite to family and friends of Plymouth Place residents and staff.

We are now at the next phase – guests are invited to dine with residents in all levels of living, and we are thrilled to welcome back vaccinated guests aged 12 and older.

While our “new normal” includes masks and plentiful sanitizer stations, it also includes exceptional enhancements:

• Our private dining room has been fully renovated and is a gorgeous location for a special dinner or celebration.
• The lower level restroom renovations are complete and the promenade is well-underway with fresh paint, new flooring, and updated furniture.
• The game room/bar remodel is in process as we create a multi-functional space for a variety of programming opportunities.
• The addition of Cabin Fever College, Ask the Expert, Great Courses, and a wide variety of social and educational event opportunities for residents to enjoy.
• A community garden was developed, where residents and staff work together to grow produce utilized in our culinary experience.
• Reinvigoration of the volunteer program that focuses on special interest areas, primarily in our memory care neighborhoods in Greg’s Place and the Health Care Center.
• Development of the John & Barbara Easter Learning Center – a space dedicated to staff learning, training, and enrichment.
• Reimagination of programming opportunities, including a virtual wine tasting with a sommelier in Hawaii and dance aerobic classes with an instructor via Zoom.

The recipe for our “new normal” is folding together what we learned over the past 15 months, a heavy dose of creativity, a large pour of heart, and a dash of ingenuity. Our “new normal” here at Plymouth Place is a pretty exciting place to be.